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valiant among the Italians； and the most beloved of all men。 ＇2＇ In
consequence of this prediction； the magician was put to death by Ascanius；
but it happened that the mother of the child dying at its birth； he was
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History Of The Britons
named Brutus； ad after a certain interval； agreeably to what the magician
had foretold； whilst he was playing with some others he shot his father
with an arrow； not intentionally but by accident。 ＇3＇ He was； for this cause；
expelled from Italy； and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea； when he
was exiled on account of the death of Turnus； slain by Aeneas。 He then
went among the Gauls； and built the city of the Turones； called Turnis。 ＇4＇
At length he came to this island named from him Britannia； dwelt there；
and filled it with his own descendants； and it has been inhabited from that
time to the present period。 ＇1＇ Other MSS。 Silvius。 ＇2＇ V。R。 Who should
slay his father and mother； and be hated by all mankind。 ＇3＇ V。R。 He
displayed such superiority among his play…fellows； that they seemed to
consider him as their chief。 ＇4＇ Tours。
11。 Aeneas reigned over the Latins three years； Ascanius thirty three
years； after whom Silvius reigned twelve years； and Posthumus thirty…nine
* years： the latter； from whom the kings of Alba are called Silvan； was
brother to Brutus； who governed Britain at the time Eli the high…priest
judged Israel； and when the ark of the covenant was taken by a foreign
people。 But Posthumus his brother reigned among the Latins。 * V。R。
Thirty…seven。
12。 After an interval of not less than eight hundred years； came the
Picts； and occupied the Orkney Islands： whence they laid waste many
regions； and seized those on the left hand side of Britain； where they still
remain； keeping possession of a third part of Britain to this day。 * * See
Bede's Eccles。 Hist。
13。 Long after this； the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain。 The first
that came was Partholomus；＇1＇ with a thousand men and women； these
increased to four thousand； but a mortality coming suddenly upon them；
they all perished in one week。 The second was Nimech； the son of。。。；＇2＇
who； according to report； after having been at sea a year and a half； and
having his ships shat… tered； arrived at a port in Ireland； and continuing
there several years； returned at length with his followers to Spain。 After
these came three sons of a Spanish soldier with thirty ships； each of which
contained thirty wives； and having remained there during the space of a
year； there appeared to them； in the middle of the sea； a tower of glass； the
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summit of which seemed covered with men； to whom they often spoke；
but received no answer。 At length they determined to besiege the tower；
and after a year's preparation； advanced towards it； with the whole number
of their ships； and all the women； one ship only excepted； which had been
wrecked； and in which were thirty men； and as many women； but when all
had disem… barked on the shore which surrounded the tower； the sea
opened and swallowed them up。 Ireland； however； was peopled； to the
present period； from the family remaining in the vessel which was
wrecked。 Afterwards； other came from Spain； and possessed themselves of
various parts of Britain。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Partholomaeus； or Bartholomaeus。 ＇2＇ A
blank is here in the MS。 Agnomen is found in some of the others。
14。 Last of all came one Hoctor；＇1＇ who continued there； and whose
descendants remain there to this day。 Istoreth； the son of Istorinus； with his
followers； held Dalrieta； Buile had the island Eubonia； and other adjacent
places。 The sons of Liethali＇2＇ obtained the country of the dimetae； where
is a city called Menavia；＇3＇ and the province Guiher and Cetgueli； ＇4＇
which they held till they were expelled from every part of Britain； by
Cunedda and his sons。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Damhoctor； Clamhoctor； and Elamhoctor。
＇2＇ V。R。 Liethan； Bethan； Vethan。 ＇3＇ St。 David's。 ＇4＇ Guiher； probably the
Welsh district Gower。 Cetgueli is Caer Kidwelly； in Carmarthenshire。
15。 According to the most learned among the Scots； if any one desires
to learn what I am now going to state； Ireland was a desert； and
uninhabited； when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea； in which； as
we read in the Book of the Law； the Egyptians who followed them were
drowned。 At that period； there lived among this people； with a numerous
family； a Scythian of noble birth； who had been banished from his country
and did not go to pursue the people of God。 The Egyptians who were left；
seeing the destruction of the great men of their nation； and fearing lest he
should possess himself of their territory； took counsel together； and
expelled him。 Thus reduced； he wandered forty…two years in Africa； and
arrived； with his family； at the altars of the Philis… tines； by the Lake of
Osiers。 Then passing between Rusicada and the hilly country of Syria；
they travelled by the river Malva through Mauritania as far as the Pillars
of Hercules； and crossing the Tyrrhene Sea； landed in Spain； where they
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continued many years； having greatly increased and multiplied。 Thence； a
thousand and two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea； they
passed into Ireland； and the district of Dalrieta。* At that period； Brutus；
who first exercised the consular office； reigned over the Romans； and the
state； which before was governed by regal power； was afterwards ruled；
during four hundred and forty…seven years； by consuls； tribunes of the
people； and dictators。 * North…western part of Antrim in Ulster。
The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world； and in the
fourth； the Scots took possession of Ireland。
The Britons who； suspecting no hostilities； were unprovided with the
means of defence； were unanimously and incessantly attacked； both by the
Scots from the west； and by the Picts from the north。 A long interval after
this； the Romans obtained the empire of the wo